Computer enclosures and other types of electronic equipment are sometimes mounted in a vertical rack structure. This technique is referred to as “rack mounting” and is frequently used, for example, with server-type computers. Most rack structures include four vertical corner posts. Pairs of horizontal slide rail assemblies are attached to the corner posts to create slots or drawers into which the computer enclosures are received or inserted. These horizontal slide rails are known in the art as brackets.
Rectangular-shaped metal chassis are used for the storage and ready accessibility of magnetic disk drive storage media. Typically, the chassis' body is mounted with screws to the brackets within the storage rack. As installed, the chassis is accessible at its front and back for viewing, replacement, repair, and monitoring of its contents. The chassis can vary in depth, as there are various standards for the depth of such chassis or the storage racks.
A smaller chassis (with respect to depth) may be preferred based on the size of the equipment stored in the chassis. A smaller chassis may also be preferred because it is more portable than larger counterparts with greater depth. However, a small size chassis is not deep enough to be mounted to a larger-sized storage rack, thereby limiting its installation to only small size storage racks. The need to purchase racks of different sizes results in extra expense accompanied by a need for additional storage space to fit the varying sizes of the storage racks and chassis. Moreover, the common state of the art prevents chassis of varying sizes from being mounted together in one conveniently located storage rack.